Why I chose Fletcher: I chose Fletcher because of its caring community. When I was accepted into The Fletcher School I visited campus, I was impressed that a school with such a big name and reputation in the international relations field was contained in one large building. My admissions officer gave me a tour of the building, and he seemed to know most of the students who were passing us in the halls. That's when I knew I could imagine myself walking in those same halls and being in their shoes, because I too was looking forward to making new connections and friends for life from different professional, ethnic, social, and political backgrounds. I immediately knew the sense of community that the Fletcher School nurtures was the right fit for me. At Fletcher, our cultural and political differences bring us together.

A quintessential Fletcher moment: A quintessential Fletcher moment would involve playing backgammon, or "tavla" (a traditional popular board game played in the Balkans, Turkey, and the Middle East), with my American friend who spent three years volunteering with the Peace Corps in Bulgaria, with other onlookers of Balkan or Middle Eastern heritage. Fletcher is unique because of its diverse student body, and we are constantly encouraged to share our culture and customs with each other.